Save The Best For Last
by autumnrose2010
Summary: After the loss of their respective spouses, Laurie and Jo find love together.
1. The Kiss

**Sometimes the snow comes down in June  
Sometimes the sun goes round the moon  
I see the passion in your eyes  
Sometimes it's all a big surprise  
Cause there was a time when all I did was wish  
You'd tell me this was love  
It's not the way I hoped or how I planned  
But somehow it's enough  
And now we're standing face to face  
Isn't this world a crazy place?  
Just when I thought a chance had passed  
You go and save the best for last**

"Most of her artwork is in here," Laurie said, leading Jo into a large room. "I haven't been able to bring myself to even look in here until today, but I need the space, and I thought that perhaps you could help me to sort through and choose the very best ones to leave out. I'm afraid I'm going to have to put the rest of them into storage."

Laurie's voice was heavy with grief. Jo knew exactly how he felt. It was the same way she herself had felt after the loss of her dear Fritz, snatched away from her several years ago by a sudden epidemic.

The room was saturated with Amy's presence. Looking around at the drawings, paintings, sculptures, and other works of art, Jo could almost imagine that her sister was still alive. It had been six months, six months since she had last seen Amy's smile. It was still so hard, so incredibly hard, for her to believe that her sister was really gone forever. She was deeply concerned about Laurie, that he was eating well and getting enough sleep. Every time she asked him, he quickly assured her that he was fine, everything was fine. It didn't stop her from worrying about him, however.

**All of the nights you came to me  
When some silly girl had set you free  
You wondered how you'd make it through  
I wondered what was wrong with you  
Cause how could you give your love to someone else  
And share your dreams with me  
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for  
Is the one thing you can't see  
But now we're standing face to face  
Isn't this world a crazy place?  
Just when I thought a chance had passed  
You go and save the best for last**

Laurie looked at his sister-in-law's dark brown hair and thought about that long-ago day in the grove. How full of hope he had been, how utterly shattered he had felt when she had given him her answer. She had been gentle but firm. They were all wrong for one another. Both of them were too hot-tempered, too impatient, too impulsive. They would have ended up killing one another, she had said. He had thought that his entire world had come to an end.

But then there had been Amy. Beautiful, sophisticated Amy, who had possessed the tact, finesse, and social graces Jo had lacked. Amy, who had had a love for the finer things in life, things Laurie could provide for her. But now Amy was gone. And after all, didn't time tend to round out rough edges? Maybe...just maybe...

"Laurie, do you think..." Suddenly Jo's voice interrupted his train of thought.

"Definitely keep that one out. It was very special to her."

Laurie stood so close to Jo that she could smell his expensive Parisian cologne. Idly she wondered whether he was wearing it for her benefit and immediately felt ashamed of herself. After all, her sister had been gone for less than a year.

For Laurie it was almost as if he were seeing Jo with new eyes. Even after all the years, all the cares and all the sorrow, she was still the same beautiful girl he had loved when he had been much younger. Almost of their own accord, his fingers reached to gently brush the hair back from her face. Her eyes looked into his, and the next moment, his lips were gently brushing hers.

Neither of them had heard Bess enter the room nor seen the look of shocked disbelief on the young girl's face.


	2. Ramifications

"Will someone please tell me exactly what is going on here?" Bess stalked angrily into the room and confronted her father and aunt. Laurie and Jo froze in place, startled. Bess glared first at Laurie, then at Jo.

"Why, I simply invited your Aunt Jo over to help me go through some of your mother's work," Laurie said calmly.

"So that you can decide what to keep and what to get rid of?" Bess asked coldly.

"Of course not, sweetheart. But you see, I need to decide what of your mother's art should be saved out and what can be put into storage," Laurie explained.

Bess looked around at all her mother's works of art and began to sob. "Oh, Mama..."

Laurie went to his daughter and put his arms around her. Jo felt very much like an outsider.

"I'll just come back some other time," she suggested.

"Oh, no, Jo. You don't have to leave," Laurie protested.

"No, really..."

"Please, Jo. Stay and have dinner with us." Jo saw the pleading look in his eyes and relented.

"Well...if you're sure I won't be in the way."

"You won't be, I assure you," Laurie told her.

* * *

"Why did you kiss Aunt Jo?" Bess asked her father, after Jo had gone back home.

"Why, honey, you know how close your Aunt Jo and I have always been."

"But you kissed her on the _lips, _Papa."

"Darling, please try to understand." Laurie sighed heavily. "You're mother's been gone for awhile now, and so has your Uncle Fritz. Your Aunt Jo and I both get lonely sometimes. It was just an innocent kiss, nothing more. You know that I would never do anything to compromise your Aunt Jo's honor."

"Do you actually think it's Aunt Jo's honor I'm concerned about?"

"Bess, you know that I still love and miss your mother and always will, but we both have to move on with our lives."

"But does 'moving on with your life' have to include kissing another woman?"

"Honey, there are many things you don't know about the relationship between your Aunt Jo and myself when we were younger." Laurie began to tell his daughter the entire story, beginning with his and Jo's first introduction to one another and ending with his proposal and her refusal.

They ended up sitting up half the night, just talking. By morning, they were both crying.

* * *

As she went about her business over the next several days, Jo couldn't get Laurie's kiss out of her mind. Although it really had been just a chaste, innocent kiss, it had brought long-buried desires back to Jo, desires she hadn't felt since Fritz had been alive.

One day Jo was helping to plant crops in the garden at Plumfield when Laurie's carriage approached and came to a stop. Jo quickly excused herself and led Laurie into the den so that they could sit and talk.

"I told Bess everything," Laurie said.

"How did she take it?" Jo asked.

"She was shocked at first, of course," Laurie told her. "She had always just assumed that Amy had been my first and only great love. When the shock wore off, she was very curious, wanting to know every little detail: when I first realized that I loved you, exactly why you turned me down, everything. She's always known and loved the story of how Amy and I met in Europe and fell in love. It's just that now she knows the prequel as well." Laurie chuckled softly.

"And how does she feel about that prequel?"

"Believe it or not, she said that she had always sensed that there was something special between you and me. She said that if I had to fall in love with someone other than her mother, she would rather it be you than anyone else."

Jo was relieved. "It sounds as if she took it fairly well, then."

Laurie sighed. "She did say that she still can't really bear to imagine me with anyone other than her mother. She said that things were always so perfect when her mother was still alive that she can't imagine them ever being quite as perfect with anyone else."

"And how do _you _feel about that?"

"Only a short time ago, I would have agreed with her completely. I loved Amy so much that I could never picture myself being happy with anyone else. Although the love I feel for her memory hasn't diminished in the least, at the same time, I know that she's happy where she is now, and that she would want me to be happy as well. Sometimes I just feel so lonely, Jo, and I remember all the good times we used to have together, and I just miss those times so very much."

"I know. I feel exactly the same way," Jo echoed.

Laurie's hand moved to cover Jo's knee. "I suppose that what I'm trying to say is...I still care for you, Jo, very deeply. Just as I did then. We're both a lot older now, and...and..." He was beginning to stammer. Jo covered his hand with her own.

"Dearest Teddy." She smiled warmly. "You know that you have always had a special place in my heart. I love you as a friend, as the brother I never had, as...as...oh, Teddy..." Suddenly she was sobbing her heart out, and he was right there, holding her, letting her cry on his shoulder, whispering comforting words.


	3. A Second Chance At Love

Bess was deep in thought as she prepared for school. Although she found the idea of her father in a romantic relationship with her Aunt Jo an incredibly difficult concept to accept, another part of her mind told her that the seed had been right there all along, jut waiting for an opportunity to take root.

She felt a sudden tug on her ponytail and turned to face Dan.

"Penny for your thoughts," he said.

Bess frowned and said nothing, pretending to be totally absorbed in arranging her desk neatly.

Dan shrugged. "All right, if you don't want to talk about it..."

"My father is in love with Aunt Jo," Bess suddenly blurted.

Dan's mouth fell open. "No way," he whispered.

Bess nodded miserably. "I saw them kissing in what used to be my mother's studio."

Dan shook his head and gave a low, sympathetic whistle.

"How could he do this?" Bess suddenly burst into tears. "Mother's only been gone six months!"

Dan put his arm around her and patted her shoulder awkwardly in an effort to comfort her.

* * *

It occurred to Laurie that he had never before held Jo as he was holding her now. He realized that it felt incredibly nice to feel her warmth and softness so close against him, to smell the freshness of her hair. In that moment, she seemed so vulnerable that he was consumed with an overwhelming urge to protect her.

Jo felt Laurie's arms around her and thought about the last time Fritz had held her like that, before he had sickened and died. It felt so nice to be held like that by a man once again that she didn't really want it to end.

"Well, I suppose I should be going," Laurie said at last.

"You don't have to hurry," Jo mumbled.

His arms tightened around her in response. They sat silently like that for awhile longer, then Laurie gently kissed Jo's cheek and said good-bye.

"I'll see you again very soon," he promised. That weekend, Laurie showed up dressed casually and invited Jo to go on a carriage ride to the park for a picnic with him.

"Where's Bess?" she asked.

"Spending the day with Dan. We'll be unsupervised." He winked at her,and she laughed.

Jo enjoyed the picnic in the park very much. She felt as if the years had simply melted away and she and Laurie were once again fifteen.

"I haven't had this much fun in so long I can't even remember," she laughingly told Laurie. She had been running from him, and he had caught her and held her against a tree's trunk. Suddenly his mouth was on hers again, kissing her passionately, and she returned his urgency.

* * *

"I never expected that this could happen," Jo said to her older sister, Meg.

"I never expected that Edward would come along either," Meg told her. She had been involved with Laurie's attorney friend for awhile now.

"I always thought that Teddy and I were all wrong for one another," Jo continued. "That's why I rejected his proposal all those years ago."

"People change, Jo," Meg told her sister. "Just because you may have been wrong for one another when you were younger doesn't mean that you still are. If I were you, Jo, I would see this as having been given a second chance at love. Not everyone gets that."

"I hadn't thought of it that way before, but I think you're right," Jo admitted.

"My advice would be to just go with it and see what happens," Meg said. "Something wonderful might come from it. You never know."


	4. Second Proposal

Jo was walking in the woods alone, deep in thought. Her mind drifted back in time to that long-ago day when Laurie had proposed to her in these same woods and she had turned him down. It had hurt her to see the pain in his eyes, but in her heart she'd felt sure that she was doing the right thing, and she'd never looked back.

Until now. How different would her life have been, she wondered, if she'd accepted Laurie's proposal? The marriage to Fritz would never have happened, of course, and their sons, Rob and Teddy, would never have been born. Would she and Laurie have had children?

_No point in wondering what might have been, _she told herself as she strolled along.

"I knew I'd find you here." She heard Laurie's voice and turned to see him smiling at her.

"Going for a walk helps me think," Jo told him.

"It's lovely this time of year." Laurie lightly touched her face. "And you're lovely as well."

"Laurie." Jo stopped walking and turned to face him. "Do you remember that day so long ago, the day you asked me to marry you?"

"Of _course _I remember!"

"We were both so young then." Jo sat down on a fallen log, and Laurie crouched beside her.

"But we're older now," he said. "More settled, more sure of what we want."

"Yes." Jo spoke softly as she held a leaf and twirled it in her hands. "And what I want is to be with you, Teddy."

"Always?" He smiled gently.

"Always, Teddy."

Laurie was now kneeling on one knee beside the fallen branch and looking earnestly into Jo's eyes. "In that case, Josephine Bhaer, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes! Oh, yes, Teddy!" She sprang to her feet and hugged him and laughed with joy.

* * *

Jo struggled over how to tell Rob the news. Little Teddy was still too young to understand, but Rob was old enough that he needed to be prepared for the changes that were to come.

"You know that your Uncle Teddy and I have been spending a lot of time together," she began.

Rob nodded.

"Well, the reason is that we love one another and want to be together always, so we're going to get married and move into Uncle Laurie's house."

Rob's eyes grew big. "But Plumfield is our home!"

"I know that, darling, and I'll still come back to oversee the school every day, but we'll spend nights at Uncle Laurie's house."

"Will I have to leave all my things behind?"

"Oh, no, darling. We'll take everything we need with us when we move."

To Jo's relief, Rob seemed satisfied with that answer.

* * *

Bess knew, of course, that her father was in love with her Aunt Jo, but Laurie was still concerned about how his daughter would take the news that they had decided to make the relationship more permanent. After hours of debating exactly how he should tell her, he finally decided to just tell her outright.

"I asked your Aunt Jo to marry me today, Bess," he said after dinner.

"And what did she say?"

"She accepted."

Bess looked dismayed. "Oh, Papa, I don't want Rob and Teddy living here! Imagine how noisy it'll be with two little boys running around!"

"Bess, you know that your cousins are well behaved."

"But they're _boys, _Papa! They'll turn the house completely upside down! Things will never be the same again!"

"Now, Bess, you're exaggerating." Laurie smiled indulgently. "Things will be different, of course, but we'll adjust. Everything will work out fine."

"Things will _never _be fine with those _boys _living here." Bess made a face and stalked angrily away. Laurie sighed as he watched her leave. He had feared that her reaction to the news would be less than positive and knew now that it was going to be a real challenge to get his daughter to accept the situation.


	5. Crisis

"Well, how did Rob take the news?" Laurie asked Jo the next time they were together.

"He was a bit concerned that he might have to give up some of his favorite things, and about moving away from Plumfield, but once I explained everything to him, he seemed fine," Jo said. "How did Bess take it?"

"I only wish it had been that easy with her." Laurie chuckled. "It looks like she's going to have some difficulty getting used to the idea of two extra children being around the house, but I'm sure everything will be fine in the end."

Jo had anticipated that the change would be a difficult one for her niece and longed to find a way to help make the transition smoother for Bess. She made a special effort to befriend the girl but was met with wariness and suspicion.

"I've tried everything, and nothing seems to work," Jo moaned to Laurie. "I want so badly to get closer to her, yet I feel that she's pushing me away."

"It could be that you're trying _too _hard." Laurie laughed. "Bess loves you, Jo. You're her aunt, remember? But you're not her mother, so you shouldn't try to act as if you were."

"You're right." Jo sighed. "I hadn't thought of it like that before."

Laurie saw how despondent she was and embraced her. "Bess will come around, darling. Just give it time."

Jo took Laurie's advice and cooled her enthusiasm when she was around Bess, and soon things went back to being the way they had been before. Jo overheard a conversation between Bess and Dan not long afterwards.

"I'm so glad Aunt Jo started acting normal again," Bess told her friend. "She had gotten all weird there for a while."

* * *

Preparations for the wedding were soon underway, and that, combined with her duties at Plumfield, took up just about all Jo's time and energy. Little did she know how quickly her attention would soon be shifted to a more urgent matter.

One morning little Rob woke up crying. "I don't feel good, Mama," he whimpered.

Jo felt his forehead and found that he was burning up with fever. Filled with trepidation, she sent for Dr. Bangs, who examined Rob quickly and gave a grim diagnosis.

"He has measles," the doctor told Jo. "Plumfield must be temporarily closed and all the students sent home to prevent an outbreak. I am placing this house under quarantine."

Jo had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "My baby," she murmured. Everything had seemed to be going so well, and now all of a sudden her son was seriously ill. What if Rob...? She couldn't bear to think of that.

"My throat hurts, Mama!" Rob cried.

"I know, sweetheart," Jo murmured, holding him tightly and rocking him. Unbidden memories came to her of the time so long ago when Beth had been ill with scarlet fever, how Laurie had fetched their mother and father from New York and they had come home in time to see Beth's recovery. Laurie. How she longed to see him again! But she couldn't, as it was far too dangerous. Neither he nor Bess had ever had measles.

Soon little Teddy was showing signs of having the measles as well, and Jo grew exhausted caring for both her sick sons around the clock. Rob seemed to get even sicker and became delirious.

"He has developed pneumonia as a complication," Dr. Bangs said gravely. "It's absolutely urgent that we get his temperature down right away."

The doctor went to fill the bathtub with cold water, and Jo gathered her son's body into her arms and carried him into the bathroom. She saw that his eyes had rolled back into his head.

"Rob? Rob!" Jo desperately shook the small body, but there was no response.


	6. Alone Together At Last

Dr. Bangs put his thumb to Rob's wrist. "He has a pulse but it's very faint," the doctor said. He took Rob from his mother's arms and quickly lowered the boy into the cool water in the tub. After a couple of seconds, Rob opened his eyes and looked into the doctor's, dazed.

"Oh, my baby!" Jo gathered the little boy into her arms, soaking the front of her dress completely in the process.

"Mama." Rob's arms went around his mother's neck, and she held him as if she'd never let him go.

Rob and Teddy were both soon on the mend, but as their conditions improved, Jo grew more and more tired and weak, until finally she could barely hold her head up.

"You're feverish," said Dr. Bangs, looking at her flushed face. "You should be in bed."

The next few days passed like a blur for Jo. She slept a lot, and when she wasn't asleep, she was delirious. Dr. Bangs heard her having lengthy one-sided conversations with both her dead husband and her dead sister Beth.

After many days, Jo finally opened her eyes and felt her memories gradually coming back. Lifting Rob out of the tub soaking wet. The morning Rob had awakened with a fever. Laurie...oh, Laurie...

She didn't even realize that she had cried out for him until the nurse had appeared at her bedside.

"He's been coming by every day to ask about you," the nurse told Jo. "He'll be so happy when I tell him you're awake."

"How are Rob and Teddy? I want to see my babies!"

"They're both doing just fine. You'll see them again very soon."

Later in the day, Jo was napping when she heard a soft rap on the bedroom door.

"Come in," she called.

"Mama!" The door burst open, and Rob and Teddy ran into the bedroom and climbed up onto the bed.

"My darlings!" Jo cried, embracing them both and showering them with kisses. "I missed you both so very much!"

"We missed you too, Mama," said Rob.

"I missed you as well," said a voice from the doorway, and Jo looked up to see Laurie's smiling face.

"Teddy!" she cried, and a split second later, his arms were around her and he was hugging her as if he never wanted to let go.

"When they told me you were sick, I was beside myself with worry," Laurie told her. "I was so afraid I'd lose you forever, and especially after Amy, I simply couldn't bear the thought of that happening."

* * *

Laurie and Jo were married on a sunny morning not long afterwards. Laurie's grandfather, Jo's parents, and John, Meg, and the twins were all there. Bess came too, with Dan. She had been very kind to Jo since Jo's illness, and she looked radiantly happy today. All the Plumfield students came as well, filling up the back couple of rows of the church.

After the ceremony, Laurie and Jo stood together under a canopy while their friends and family members held hands and walked around them in a circle singing 'For The Beauty Of The Earth.' Then Jo, Laurie, Bess, Rob, and Teddy all got into the carriage and rode to the docks. Laurie was taking his entire family on a trip to Europe.

"It sure is big." Rob's eyes grew round with awe when he saw the ship for the first time. "I guess a lot of people must be going to Europe with us."

"There's a lot of different things on the ship," Laurie told him. "It's almost like a miniature neighborhood. In addition to the cabins we sleep in and keep our things in, there's a dining room, a dance floor, many different things."

Little Teddy jumped up and down, squealing excitedly. Bess rolled her eyes at him. She still wasn't entirely keen on the idea of two little boys moving into her home, even if they _were _her cousins.

Finally it was time to board the ship and find their cabins. Jo put her own and Laurie's belongings in their proper place in the room she'd be sharing with her new husband. Bess had a room of her own, and Rob and Teddy would be sharing the room next to Jo and Laurie's.

Except for meals, most of the first day was spent exploring the ship and walking around on the deck. There was just so much for two curious little boys to see.

Rob and Teddy tired quickly and both went to sleep soon after dinner. Bess retired to her own room, and Jo and Laurie to theirs.

Laurie smiled and winked at his new bride. "Well, we're alone together at last," he said to her.


	7. Disaster

"So, what do you want to do?" Jo asked, feigning innocence.

"Oh, I've got an idea or two." Laurie embraced her and began to kiss her passionately, and she returned his kisses with equal fervor. They both lay back on the bed, and Laurie began to tug on Jo's clothing. Jo helped him to remove her dress, and as he eagerly began to fumble with her undergarments, she suddenly froze.

"What is it?" he whispered.

"I thought I just heard Teddy's voice," she said. She rose, wrapped herself in a blanket, and quickly looked in on her sons. She saw that they were both sound asleep and sighed with relief. Laurie chuckled as Jo returned to the bed, dropping the blanket before snuggling into his arms once more.

They resumed kissing, and Laurie's lips gradually moved down Jo's neck and across her collarbone. Jo felt her skin catch fire on every spot onto which a tender kiss landed. She began to fumble with Laurie's shirt buttons, and within moments it was shed, leaving Jo's hands to wander lightly over his chest. Gradually her hands made their way to the waistband of his pants, and he quickly shed them as well. Jo eagerly reached to pull his underwear down, but he gently moved her hand away.

"We've waited too long for this," he whispered. "You don't want to rush it, do you?"

Jo lay back as Laurie kissed every inch of her belly down to her belly button and just below. "That tickles," she giggled. Laurie reached her panties and deftly pulled them off her legs, instantly moving his fingers to stimulate her in just the right places.

"Oh, Teddy," she moaned softly. To her surprise he replaced his fingers with his mouth, using his lips and tongue to bring her exquisite pleasure. She looked at the top of his head, scarcely daring to believe that he would really do _that_. The sensation was like nothing she had ever felt before. She was over the edge in no time, writhing in ecstasy as she bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming his name.

He began to kiss her again, and her hands wandered back to his underwear. This time he made no move to stop her as she slipped them off of him, reaching to fondle him, to at last touch the part of him she'd never seen in all the years she'd known him. Her hands found his smooth hardness, and she gently stroked him up and down.

"I want to return the favor," she said in a throaty voice. He lay back on the bed, and she took him into her mouth, licking him all over, caressing him with her lips while enjoying his moans of pleasure, his fingers gently twirling her hair. When he began to thrust, she realized that he was near the edge and lay back. He entered her, and they moved together, moaning in abandon as they went over the edge together, then lay cuddled in each other's arms, enjoying the afterglow of their spent passion.

"Well, was that everything you ever dreamed it would be?" Laurie asked after awhile.

"It was all right," Jo replied.

"All _right?" _He raised himself on one elbow and gazed at her in fake horror.

She took his face in both hands as she gazed into his eyes. "Dearest Teddy," she said. "You have exceeded my wildest dreams." She kissed him, and he grinned and held her close.

* * *

"What are you writing about today, Jo?" asked Laurie. It was the next day, and the whole family was relaxing on the ship's deck. Rob and Teddy were playing cowboys and Indians, Bess was painting, Jo was writing in her journal, and Laurie was dividing his attention between the four of them in between playing his harmonica.

"Every detail of our vacation so far," Jo said.

Laurie's eyebrows shot up. _"Every _detail?"

Jo nodded. "I want to always remember."

"Let me see." Laurie reached for her journal, and she sprang to her feet and ran away from him, giggling mightily. Rob and Teddy halted their play and stared. Bess looked up and frowned.

Jo didn't even see the mop that had been left carelessly flung across the deck until she had already tripped over it. The journal flew out of her hands, and she and Laurie watched in horror as it sailed over the railing and hit the water far below with a distant _splash._


	8. Arrival

"No! No! _No!" _Jo cried, pounding the ship's railing with her fist.

"Darling, I'm _so _sorry," Laurie murmured, trying to embrace his wife.

"I can't _believe _it!" Jo moaned, pulling away from him. "First Amy burns my manuscript, and now you've made me lose my journal..."

"Poor Jo," Laurie commiserated. "You simply can't keep your literary efforts safe from your family members, can you?"

Jo frowned darkly at him for just a moment, then burst out laughing, and he joined in.

"I really do feel very badly about what happened to your journal, darling," Laurie said when he could speak again.

"That's all right. It was an accident," said Jo, but a look of sadness crept over her face. Laurie saw it and kissed her lips tenderly.

"I promise, I'll behave myself for the rest of the vacation," he said soberly.

"We'll see how long _that _lasts." Jo rolled her eyes.

The remainder of the voyage was relatively uneventful. Although Laurie tried his best to keep them entertained, Rob and Teddy grew restless and bored. Jo spent a lot of time talking with Bess and got to know her niece/stepdaughter better than she ever had before. She even tried her hand at painting, and Bess wrote a poem, which Laurie described as 'tenderly amusing.' In the end Jo and Bess agreed that when Jo finally wrote her novel, Bess would provide the illustrations.

The ship arrived in Liverpool at last, and everyone disembarked to go through customs. Rob and Teddy danced around excitedly while Bess glared at them with disapproval.

"Well, my dear, you finally get your trip to Europe at long last. Better late than never," Laurie teased Jo.

"Did I ever tell you how devastated I was all those years ago when Aunt March chose Amy rather than me to accompany her to Europe?" asked Jo.

Laurie frowned. "Not as I recall. As I'm sure you well remember, I was dealing with some rather crushing disappointments of my own at the time." He gave his wife a wry smile.

"Oh, Teddy." Jo nudged Laurie playfully. "You can't honestly say that you regret the way things turned out in the end, now, can you?"

"Ah...well, no, I suppose I can't," Laurie admitted with a smile.

Finally they were through customs and were taking a carriage ride across the countryside, passing gently rolling hills covered with brilliantly verdant grasses, quaint little cottages with thatched roofs, and all variety of farm animals. Rob and Teddy stared with big eyes at the scenery that was so very different from that of their native Massachusetts.

By the time the group reached London, it was so late and everyone was so tired that they all agreed to put the sightseeing off until the next day. They found the inn, got settled in, and went for dinner at a pub. Laurie ordered fish and chips for everyone.

"It seems so much more relaxed and informal than the restaurants back home," Jo commented. "I quite like it."

"Ah, my dear, a pub is more than simply a restaurant. Much, much more," Laurie told her.

"You'll find out," Bess giggled.

Later there was a quiz game which all the customers participated in, and Jo found that she truly did enjoy the camaraderie.

That night Jo yawned as she entered her bedroom at the inn.

"Big day, wasn't it?" Laurie asked softly as he walked up behind his wife and gently kissed her neck.

"Mm," Jo murmured as she turned her head so that his kiss fell on her lips.

"You'd best get a good night's sleep. Big day tomorrow." Laurie winked at her and playfully swatted her bottom.

"Aye, aye, sir," Jo giggled.


	9. Honeymoon

The next day, they visited Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Gardens, and Hyde Park. It began to rain while they were at Buckingham Palace. Little Teddy made a great show of enthusiastically splashing in every puddle he could find while the others struggled to keep dry.

"I sure hope he isn't going to be sick," said Jo.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Laurie replied. "I've certainly splashed in my share of puddles over the years."

At Hyde Park they watched the horses ride up and down Rotten Row.

"I just _love _horses," Bess said dreamily.

"Those are sure some beautiful ones," Jo agreed.

"I remember the first time I was here with your mother all those years ago, Bess," Laurie said to his daughter.

Jo swallowed a lump in her throat. "I'll bet it's really changed since then."

"Actually, it's much the same," Laurie told her. He put his arm around her, and she felt better.

That evening they went to a fancy restaurant to eat, then back to the motel.

After a few days in London, the family went to Paris.

"It's nice to finally be out of all that rain," Jo remarked.

"I think walking together in the rain is rather romantic," Laurie replied.

"It's nice, but it's also good to see the sunshine again as well," said Jo.

Jo loved the delicious pastries she was served her first morning in Paris but was startled by what she found on her plate at lunchtime.

"What on earth is _this?" _she asked her husband.

_"Escargot," _Laurie told her.

"Well, that's not what it _looks _like!" Jo exclaimed. "It looks exactly like something you'd find crawling around in the garden."

"Just eat it, Jo." Laurie rolled his eyes. "It's a delicacy."

Jo took a bite. "Interesting. Buttery, with a hint of garlic."

"That's the seasoning," said Laurie.

After France, they went to Germany, where Jo sampled many different kinds of sausages and beers. Laurie finally urged her to ease up on the beer sampling.

"You're not going to be able to walk back to the motel," he warned her.

"Look who's talking," she retorted. "You've had at least as much to drink as I have."

After Germany, the family went to Switzerland, where Jo enjoyed the breathtaking view of the mountains.

At last they went to Rome, where Jo met Laurie's Uncle Mario and Aunt Lucia. They both greeted the family warmly.

"Meet my new wife, Jo, and her sons, Rob and Teddy," said Laurie.

"It's so lovely to meet you, dear," Aunt Lucia said as she hugged Jo tightly.

"It's nice to meet you as well," Jo replied.

"And your children are so lovely!" Aunt Lucia exclaimed.

"Thank you," said Jo.

"And Bess! You've grown to be such a lovely young woman!" Aunt Lucia continued. "You look so much like your mother! We were all so sad to hear of her passing, but it's lovely to see that your father has found love again."

"Jo is Amy's older sister," Laurie explained.

"I lost my first husband, Rob and Teddy's father, several years ago," Jo explained. "He was a professor. We ran a school for boys together. I still run it on my own."

"I see," said Aunt Lucia. "You _are _coming to the opera with us tonight, aren't you?"

"Of course we are," said Laurie. "Bess can babysit."

Bess made a face.

"Bess." Laurie's voice was kind but firm.

"Oh, all _right," _Bess grumbled.

"I could have stayed behind to watch Rob and Teddy while Bess accompanied you to the opera," Jo said to Laurie later.

"She'll get over it." Laurie winked at her. "Bess has been to dozens of operas in Rome. It's been my fondest dream to take you to one for a long time now." He hugged her tightly, and she snuggled up next to him and smiled.


	10. A Preposterous Idea

Jo must have been even more tired than she thought she was, because she fell asleep halfway through the opera. Laurie heard her lightly snoring and gently shook her awake.

"I'm so sorry!" Jo apologized as they were walking home afterwards.

Laurie chuckled. "That's all right. It _has _been a long day, hasn't it?"

They returned home to find Bess sketching by lamplight. Both boys were asleep.

"Have they been all right?" Jo asked her niece.

"Everything's been just fine," Bess assured her.

"I have some wonderful ideas for how best to spend the rest of the night," Laurie whispered into Jo's ear as soon as they were inside the guest bedroom.

"I'm sure you do," Jo giggled.

* * *

Jo didn't enjoy the trip home to the United States nearly as much as she'd enjoyed the voyage to Europe. The former had been an adventure in more ways than one; she and Laurie had shared physical intimacy for the first time, and she'd been excited to see lands she'd never visited before. Returning to the United States meant returning to the grinding routine at Plumfield which, although invigorating, tended to be overwhelming at times, especially since the death of Fritz.

"Why so blue?" Laurie asked her one day as she sat on the deck in a lounge chair. He came up beside her and gently stroked her cheek with one finger.

"No particular reason," she sighed. "I just wish our honeymoon could have lasted a little bit longer, I suppose."

"You mean you're actually not eager to go back to work?" Laurie teased.

"Are you?"

Laurie made a face. "Not really, but I knew that the longer I stayed away, the harder it would be to go back." He pulled up a lounge chair himself and sat facing Jo. "That's something we're going to have to discuss, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"Plumfield. Now that we're married, is it really necessary for you to spend so much time there?"

"Married or not, Plumfield is my life, Laurie. It's always been that way."

"But it doesn't have to be that way anymore, Jo," Laurie said gently. "You know that I'm very well able to provide for you." He took both her hands into his own and looked pleadingly into her eyes. "Sell Plumfield, Jo, or at least hire someone else to run it. Your place is with me now."

"Sell Plumfield? That's absolutely preposterous!" Jo stood and stalked away angrily, leaving Laurie silently staring after her.

* * *

The subject wasn't mentioned again for the rest of the trip home. Laurie felt that the issue was still unresolved but didn't mention it again for fear of Jo's wrath.

The day after the family finished unpacking, Laurie returned to his position at his grandfather's company, and Jo returned to her post at Plumfield.

Bess didn't realize how much she'd missed Dan until the next time she saw him. She was sitting at her desk waiting for class to begin when he casually strolled in with another boy. His eyes met hers, and she felt weak and fluttery inside.

After class he waited for her beside the door. Wordlessly, they clasped hands and walked until they were behind the barn.

"How did it go?" Dan asked.

Bess shrugged. "All right, I suppose. The weather was decent most of the time."

"What about everything else?"

Bess sighed, near tears. "Oh, Dan, it's just so _weird! _Aunt Jo is also my stepmother now, and Rob and Teddy are still my cousins, but now they're my stepbrothers too...the family just seems so much larger now that it's not just me and Father anymore...I don't know if I can ever really get used to this!"

Dan cupped her chin in both his hands and planted a soft kiss on her lips. Bess kissed him back and felt a shiver run down her spine when she suddenly felt his tongue at her lips, seeking entrance to her mouth.

Neither of them heard the sharp gasp from a few feet away.


	11. Jo Comes Clean

Jo's first impulse was to jump between Dan and Bess and push them apart from one another, but instead, she tiptoed away from the scene as quickly as she could, her heart pounding. What should she do? Should she tell Laurie first, or confront Bess herself later? If she told Laurie what she'd seen without giving Bess a chance to tell her side of the story first, the girl would be angry. And yet...how could she bring the subject up with Bess? The girl would accuse her of spying! In truth, Jo had come upon Dan and Bess purely by accident. She'd been collecting nuts for Rob, who loved them, when she'd heard their voices.

With much effort, she pushed the incident from her mind and went about her daily routine.

* * *

Bess pulled away from Dan with a frightened look in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Dan looked hurt.

"We shouldn't." Bess' voice was almost a whisper. "It's wrong."

Dan looked dejected. He sighed heavily, took Bess' hand, and walked with her back to the classroom.

* * *

"You look as if you're a thousand miles away in your head," Laurie told his wife that evening at the dinner table.

"Sorry." Jo shook her head as if clearing it of cobwebs.

"It's hard getting used to being back home again, isn't it?" Laurie asked gently. He rose and walked behind Jo, where he stood massaging her shoulders.

"That feels so good," Jo sighed. Bess looked embarrassed. Rob and Teddy giggled. Laurie gave his wife a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.

Later, after Rob and Teddy had been settled for the night, Jo was sitting in bed reading a book when Laurie came into the bedroom, gave her a saucy wink, sat on the edge of the bed, and began taking his shoes and socks off. Her book immediately forgotten, Jo's attention was riveted on her husband and what he was doing. Laurie next removed his shirt and pants and then lay beside Jo and began to kiss and caress her. Her arms wound around him as she responded to his passionate overtures.

"Oh, Teddy," she sighed, running her fingers through his black hair. Already his fingers were between her legs, softly stroking the tender flesh there, getting her ready, while her hands made their way to his most intimate parts, feeling him harden under her touch. At last he entered her, and they began to make love.

Afterwards, as they lay cuddling, Jo had such warm, cozy feelings for her husband that she felt she could keep nothing from him.

"Teddy?" she began.

"Hm?"

"Today I was gathering nuts behind the barn when I heard voices. I looked in the direction they were coming from and saw Dan kissing Bess, but it wasn't just an ordinary kiss. It was...very passionate, if you know what I mean."

"And that's what's been occupying your mind all evening?"

Jo nodded. Laurie chuckled and hugged her tightly. "I don't think it's anything to worry about. Bess has enough common sense not to let things go too far. I trust her. It's very sweet of you to be concerned, though."

"Of course I'm concerned, Teddy! Bess is my niece...and now she's my stepdaughter as well."

"I love you, Jo." Laurie kissed her lips. "Now, go to sleep."

"Good-night, Teddy."

"Good-night, yourself." He tweaked her nose playfully. Soon both of them were asleep.


	12. Jo's News

Summer became fall, and the weather got cooler. Leaves began to change colors and fall from the trees. One day Jo was going about her usual business when a wave of nausea swept over her. She made it to the bathroom just in time.

"Are you all right, darling?" Laurie asked her that evening. "You look a little pale."

"I'm all right now, but I was sick earlier," Jo told him. "I must have eaten something bad."

"You don't seem very hungry this evening," Laurie observed, watching Jo push food around on her plate with her fork.

"I'm not," Jo confessed. "I'm really more sleepy than hungry."

"Why don't you go to bed early," Laurie suggested. "I'll get the boys to bed. Maybe you'll feel better in the morning."

"Thank you, dear," Jo said, giving her husband a hug and kiss.

The following morning, Jo was so dizzy that she almost couldn't get out of bed.

"You're staying home today," Laurie told her, his brow creased with concern.

"But I _have _to go in," Jo insisted. "They need me."

"A couple of the older students can take over your duties for one day," Laurie said. "I'll go in and get them started and check in later just to make sure they're doing all right. You need your rest."

"I couldn't ask you to do that..."

"You're not asking, I'm insisting." Laurie smiled. "Get some rest, now." He tucked her in and kissed her cheek.

Jo felt tired and squeamish for the next several mornings in a row. Finally Laurie insisted that she go to Dr. Bangs, so she did.

"You're a perfectly healthy expectant mother," the doctor told her with a smile.

"A baby? My goodness! I've been through this twice before. Why didn't I recognize the symptoms?"

Jo wondered what Laurie's reaction to the news would be. He hadn't mentioned anything about wanting to add to the family, but on the other hand, they'd been doing nothing to prevent it from happening, either. She hoped he wouldn't be unhappy about it.

"I went to see Dr. Bangs today," she told Laurie that evening.

Laurie frowned. "I hope there's nothing seriously wrong."

"We're going to have a baby, Teddy."

"A baby!" Laurie laughed, scooped his wife up into his arms, and twirled her around. "That's wonderful!"

"I'm so glad you're happy about it," said Jo. "I wasn't sure what your reaction would be."

"Of course I'm happy about it! Why shouldn't I be?" Laurie replied. "I do think it's time, however, that we reconsider the idea of your hiring someone to take over your duties at Plumfield, at least on a part time basis."

Jo went to him and rested her head on his chest. He put his arms around her and rubbed her back.

"I know you enjoy your job, sweetheart, but I'm concerned about you. I want you to stay healthy, and I want our baby to be healthy, too."

"All right," Jo said reluctantly. "I'll run an ad in the newspaper and start interviewing people."

* * *

"My father and Aunt Jo are going to have a baby," Bess glumly told Dan.

"Well, I think that's neat! You're going to be a big sister! You sure don't sound very happy about it, though," Dan commented.

"I think it's ridiculous!" Bess grumbled. "They're both too old to start over."

"Well, it's their business if they want to have a baby, I suppose." Dan shrugged.

"My mother always wanted another baby." Bess had turned pensive. "I remember hearing her talking about it with my father and crying. She wanted more children really badly, but she was only able to have me."

"She must have loved you very much," said Dan.

"She did. And I loved her very much too." Bess looked as if she were near tears. Dan walked over to her and put his arms around her.


	13. First Christmas Together

The new part-time headmistress of Plumfield was a plump, middle-aged spinster who wanted to be called Miss Sadie. She was very maternal but also had a no-nonsense attitude which the students quickly learned not to cross.

"She's a real godsend," Jo said to Laurie one evening soon after Miss Sadie had arrived.

"I'm just glad that you have more time to relax and take care of yourself now," Laurie replied.

Jo's pregnancy was progressing smoothly so far. After a few weeks, the nausea and squeamishness passed, and her appetite returned with a vengeance.

"You're supposed to be eating for two, not for a whole army," Laurie teased her. She nudged him hard in the side with her elbow, and he laughed.

Bess got used to the idea of her father and Aunt Jo expecting a baby and even got excited about it.

"Why is Mama getting so fat?" little Rob asked her one day.

"Because she's got a baby growing inside her," Bess told him. "As the baby gets bigger, it takes up more space, so your Mama's tummy gets larger."

"I want to take it out and play with it," said Rob.

"It's not ready to come out yet," said Bess.

Rob's eyes grew round. "You mean Mama's belly is gonna get even bigger?"

Bess nodded.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" asked Rob.

"We won't know until it's born," Bess told him.

"I want another boy, like me and Teddy," said Rob.

"Why? You've already got one brother now. You don't have a sister yet."

"But I thought _you _were my sister now."

"I'm still your cousin." Bess laughed. "But if you want to think of me as your sister, that's fine. And you know what? The new baby is going to be my brother or sister too, as well as yours."

Rob looked perplexed. Bess laughed and ruffled his hair.

Thanksgiving came and went, and Christmas was quickly approaching. Jo wanted to get Laurie something special for their first Christmas together. She spent many hours searching all the shops in town for just the right present and finally decided upon a solid gold watch fob. Shopping for Bess was a real dilemma. She wanted to get the girl something nice, yet she didn't want it to appear as if she were trying to buy the girl's love. Finally she found a book on drawing techniques that had been written by an artist she knew Bess admired. For Rob she got a model train set, and for Teddy she got a wooden rocking horse.

Christmas morning dawned bright and crisp but cold. Rob and Teddy burst into Laurie and Jo's bedroom, pouncing on the bed and awakening the sleeping couple.

"Wake up, Mama! Wake up, Uncle Laurie!" they shouted excitedly.

"How about a nice group hug first," Laurie suggested. He cuddled Jo tightly, and she in turn cuddled both her sons.

"Now, let's go see what Santa brought," Laurie continued, following the two little boys into the living room.

Teddy spotted his rocking horse and eagerly climbed onto it. Rob found his train set and beamed happily.

Jo cooked pancakes for breakfast, and later in the morning, Laurie, Jo, and Bess opened their presents. Laurie was thrilled with the gold watch fob.

"It's just what I wanted, Aunt Jo! How did you know?" Bess exclaimed when she saw the book Jo had bought her.

"Close your eyes," Laurie told Jo. Jo did so, and felt Laurie fastening something behind her neck.

"Now open them," Laurie instructed. Jo gasped with delight when she found that he'd given her a beautiful gold locket.

"Open it," Laurie said eagerly. She did so, and inside she found a photo of herself and Laurie.

"Merry Christmas, darling," said Laurie. "I love you." Tenderly he kissed her lips.

"I love you, too," Jo murmured.

Later that day, there was a knock on the door. Dan stood there holding a wrapped present and shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

"Merry Christmas, everybody," he said, a bit shyly.

"Merry Christmas, Dan," said Jo. "Come on inside and get warm."

Dan entered the house and went to stand by the fireplace. "This is for you, Bess," he said, handing Bess the present he'd brought.

Bess opened the small box and found a pearl necklace with matching earrings.

"Oh, Dan, it's beautiful!" She grinned as she stood and hugged Dan's neck. "Thank you!"

"I'm so glad you like it," said Dan, blushing.

"Why don't you stay and have dessert with us," invited Jo.

"Thank you," said Dan. He stayed for a couple of hours, then returned to Plumfield.

Later that evening, Jo and Laurie cuddled beside the fireplace after Rob and Teddy had gone to bed.

"Just think, this time next year, we'll have a little baby to hold," Laurie said, gently rubbing his hand over Jo's slightly rounded belly.

"I hope the baby looks like you," said Jo.

"No matter what it looks like, I'll love it, because it'll come from you," Laurie replied.

"Oh, Teddy, you're so sweet!" Jo sighed, turning to kiss him.


	14. Blessed Event

The winter days turned dreary and monotonous. Jo returned to Plumfield on a part time basis and spent her increased free time preparing for the new arrival. Laurie set up the crib, and together they decorated the nursery. Jo spent hours knitting and crocheting tiny blankets, hats, and booties.

One night in February, Jo was lying in bed when she felt a tiny flutter. A thrill of excitement went through her as she shook Laurie awake.

"Teddy! Teddy!"

"What is it?" Laurie mumbled.

"I just felt the baby move!"

"Wow! Really?" Instantly he was wide awake. Jo placed his hand on her abdomen, and a moment later, the flutter came again. Laurie hugged Jo and kissed her cheek and told her he loved her.

After what seemed like forever, the weather finally began to get warmer. Green leaves grew on trees, and flowers began to bloom.

At Easter Laurie and Jo hid colored eggs for Rob and Teddy to find. By this time Jo's pregnancy was obvious. She began to get frequent backaches, and instead of walking, she waddled.

"I feel like I've been pregnant forever!" she moaned to Laurie. "And I've still got two more months to go!"

"It'll all be over before you know it, and you'll be holding our precious little bundle of joy in your arms," Laurie consoled her with a smile.

"Will you be terribly disappointed if it's another daughter?" Jo asked.

"Not at all," said Laurie. "I absolutely adore little girls."

"We haven't discussed names yet," said Jo.

"Well, if it's a boy, we already have a Robert and a Theodore. My grandfather's name was James, and I've always been partial to the name Edward."

"James Edward is a nice name for a boy," Jo agreed. "But what if it's a girl?"

"Well, there are many lovely girls' names to chose from," said Laurie. "Sarah, Laura, Nancy, Ellen..."

"None of those seems quite right," said Jo. "I was thinking perhaps something regal sounding like Victoria or Alexandra."

"How about Alexandra Josephine?"

Jo shook her head. "Too cumbersome. We need a short middle name for Alexandra."

"Well, how about Alexandra Joanne?"

"That's much better."

In May Jo went on maternity leave, and Miss Sadie took Plumfield over full time.

Jo was clearing away the dinner dishes one evening the following month when she felt the first contraction. She grimaced and put her hand over her abdomen.

"Jo?" Alarm was in Laurie's voice as he sprang to his feet.

"The baby's coming!" his wife told him.

Laurie quickly helped Jo to bed, took Rob and Teddy to the neighbors', and went to fetch Dr. Bangs. By the time the doctor arrived, Jo was in active labor.

"It won't be long," Dr. Bangs said after examining her.

By midnight, Jo's contractions were very powerful, and she had a strong urge to push.

"Go ahead," Dr. Bangs told her after examining her again. "You're ready."

With the next contraction Jo bore down with all her might. Another contraction followed, and then another.

"Keep pushing! You're doing great!" Dr. Bangs encouraged her.

Jo gave another mighty push.

"The head's crowning!" Dr. Bangs exclaimed. Jo pushed again, and the rest of the baby's body emerged.

"It's a girl!" Dr. Bangs announced, gently lying the newborn onto her mother's breast. Jo reached up and lightly touched the baby's soft, delicate skin with her fingertips.

"You can go in now," Dr. Bangs told Laurie. Jo's husband entered the room to find her holding their new daughter and smiling.

"What do we have, a prince or a princess?" he asked.

"A princess."

"Alexandra Joanne." He grinned. "She's beautiful, Jo. You did very well."

_"We _did very well."

Laurie caressed Alexandra's fuzzy head. "Hello there, little one."

"Would you like to hold her?"

"Of course!"

Laurie sat in a chair beside Jo's bed and held Alexandra. Jo lay back in bed and closed her eyes.

"Get some rest, now," Laurie said, gently brushing the damp hair back from his wife's forehead. Jo smiled and slowly drifted off to sleep.


End file.
